The full story...

Inquiry into abuse at Katanning hostel tabled

ASHLEY HALL: The leaders of the Liberal and Labor parties in Western Australia have apologised to victims of abuse at state-run hostels in the 1970s and '80s. The Premier Colin Barnett tabled a report into abuse at St Andrew's Hostel at Katanning.

It follows an inquiry by a former Supreme Court Justice Peter Blaxell, who found several authority figures failed to act on reports of abuse. And he found in fact individuals were diverted when they tried to raise abuse allegations.

The warden of that hostel, Dennis McKenna has been convicted and jailed twice for abusing boys.

David Weber reports.

DAVID WEBER: The Premier Colin Barnett told Parliament how good people were ignored, with a devastating impact.

COLIN BARNETT: That a number of brave individuals did try to alert relevant authorities and individuals to the sexual abuse that Dennis McKenna was committing against students at St Andrew's hostel.

However they were no listened to and worse on a number of occasions were actively diverted. It is a sad fact that had their concerns been given the attention they deserved a great deal of pain would have been spared.

DAVID WEBER: The Premier went on to explain how McKenna could get away with it for so long.

COLIN BARNETT: McKenna was able to create a veil of secrecy around his sexual activities with boys at the hostel through a variety of means that involved a mixture of favouritism, intimidation, threats and tight control of the behaviour of hostel residents.

The inquiry also documents the manner in which McKenna was able to groom the community of Katanning, into accepting him in a positive light. He received positive recognition for enhancing the facilities and reputation of the hostel and developed close relationships with significant people in the community.

In 1984 McKenna was awarded Katanning citizen of the year for and I quote "his significant contribution to the Katanning community".

DAVID WEBER: There were 20 instances where victims, hostel residents, parents and teachers tried to expose the abuse. They were unsuccessful. There were at least 48 people who alleged they were abused at the hostel while residing there.

The inquiry also heard evidence about McKenna's brother Neil, who's also been convicted and another staff member at the hostel. The inquiry expanded after being told of other hostels, including St Christopher's in Northam.

Mr Blaxell has explained why the complete truth would never be known.

PETER BLAXELL: Many of the people involved in the events at the time are now deceased, some are in a stage of life where they're not able to remember things but by and large we have been able to gather the facts together and show what in fact happened.

The report speaks for itself and I have made adverse findings against a number of former public officials.

DAVID WEBER: Mr Blaxell said the legal framework at the time contributed to the reluctance of victims to come forward.

PETER BLAXELL: At the time homosexuality was illegal and the law had some significant gaps because there was not law which protected boys over 14 years of age from the predatory behaviour of adult male homosexuals. Furthermore the affect of the law was that any 14-year-old boy who consented to what happened was in fact a party to the offence committed by the adult.

DAVID WEBER: The WA Government is establishing a centralised complaints system for reporting concerns about abuse. There will also be ex-gratia payments of up to $45,000 to victims, on top of smaller amounts claimable under Redress WA.

The legal representative of some of the victims - John Hammond.

JOHN HAMMOND: Well the best feature about the report is it has been a complete vindication of everything the victims of Dennis McKenna have said all along, that those in authority didn't report what was going on and let people to suffer at St Andrew's hostel, the worrying aspect of what the Premier has said today is that compensation is capped at $45,000, I think that is entirely wrong.

DAVID WEBER: One of the victims, Todd Jefferis, says there should be criminal charges against those authority figures who didn't respond when they were told of the abuse.

TODD JEFFERIS: This is far from over as far as I'm concerned. We've gotů you know there's grey areas in there which we need to deal with. Making these guys that didn't do what they should have done, held to account is a priority for us and a priority for me. There is no point going through this process unless these guys are held fully accountable.

DAVID WEBER: Mr Jefferis has described the offer of $45,000 as pathetic.